MegaPath furthers its bond with Ethernet over Copper

MegaPath's move to expand its nationwide Ethernet over Copper (EoC) network to 50 markets over the next two years recognizes the fact that while fiber is the favored medium for Ethernet, the reality is that no service provider has brought fiber to every building.

But by expanding Ethernet over Copper into 15 markets by the end of 2011 and an additional 35 markets by the end of 2012, MegaPath will be able to extend Ethernet services to businesses that have traditionally had little options besides expensive T1s or DSL access.

While fiber penetration in the U.S. rose slightly in 2010, Vertical System Group's fiber availability report revealed that fiber only reaches an estimated 27.7 percent of buildings, meaning that 73.3 percent of U.S. commercial buildings still lack access to a direct fiber connection.

Taking an access-agnostic approach, MegaPath's Ethernet plans aren't just about EoC alone. The service provider plans to complement its Ethernet over Copper drive by installing switches and routers to deliver other high-speed copper-based products including VDSL2 and Clear Channel T1.

In 2011, MegaPath will add more than 300 Central Offices (COs) in Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C. When it completes the second phase of the EoC build out in 2012, the service provider said it will have EoC capabilities available in about 680 COs.